Pain is a Part of It

Today I go in for my yearly scans. I had cancer in my early thirties. I fought it and I won. And the only reminder I have of it, really, is when I go in for my yearly scans. Today I’ll spend a good long time in the MRI machine. Once I’m in there, I’ll actually doze off. But the time before I go in is a reflective time.

My mother died from cancer when she was 48 years old and these two experiences–her battle and my own–are a part of who I am. A painful part. And even though we’re pressured to share only happy thoughts online, I think it’s important to acknowledge the painful parts because we all have them. And if we share them, we will grow empathy for one another. If we share them, we’ll know that we’re not alone.